I am sorry

Laura was daydreaming. She felt guilty for what he did to Daniel. Her trauma from kidnapping made her turn to be more suspicious. What Emma said just made her realize that what she did to him was awful. 

Looking at her friend who was daydreaming, Emma knew her friend was thinking about something. Emma was a kind of sensitive person. She could feel what others feel and detected a slight change of a person. Emma walked closer to her and asked, 

"What are you thinking about?" Emma wanted Laura to tell her about her feelings.

"Oh, nothing," Laura pretended there was nothing happening to her, but Emma knew that she lied.

"Did you think about Daniel? Did you feel sorry for him?" Emma guessed. 

"How did you know?" Laura was surprised because what her friend said is true. 

"You can't lie to me, Laura. We have always been together since we were in college and I can feel what you feel," Emma deeply looked into Laura's eyes and touched her shoulder.

"Yeah, I thought about him. I hope he doesn't feel bad because of me," Laura started lowering her head.

"I hope so. If he comes again, try to be more friendly to him. I think he is a good guy." Emma  gave a piece of advice for her friend.

"Yes, sure. Thanks for reminding me." 

Laura was a friendly and also warm-hearted woman. But since the kidnapping happened to her, she turned out to be not generous to a man. Especially when they do something odd as Daniel did.

At his bedroom, Daniel leaned back on the chair. He was thinking about the way to get closer to Laura. 

"I don't have any idea about how to get her attention. She even did not like me when I came." He was a bit frustrated.

"Maybe I should not come to that place for a few months. I hope she will change to be more friendly and also give me a smile." He made a decision.

Daniel was a gentle, caring, patient, highly intuitive, sensitive, and loyal person. The bad thing about him was sometimes overthinking and also depression when something was not like what he wanted. 

Few months later, Daniel came again to the shop. At that time, he did not want to expect anything or tried to get some information about Laura. He just only wanted to have some coffee after working all day.

When he entered the shop, Laura welcomed him with a smile on her face and it made him feel delighted. Daniel thought it was a dream, so he tried to pinch himself and he felt the pain.

"Ouch, this is real. She smiles at me." Daniel did not believe that she would change.

Daniel stepped to her without any hesitation. He did not want to see the menu anymore because it was already on his mind. Looking at it for around 5 minutes a few months ago made him remember all of the menus in that shop. When he reached Laura, she then greeted him, 

"Hi! What's going on?"

"Not much, how about yourself?" 

"Pretty good. You did not come here for more than 3 months. Where did you go?" asked Laura curiously.

"Hmm, I was busy and did not have time for hanging out," Daniel made an excuse.

"Oh, I see. Hmm, I apologize if I was not friendly to you. I hope you were not feeling bad because of it," Laura looked at Daniel's eyes.

"Oh, it's okay. I did not feel bad at all," he did not want to make Laura feel guilty even if in fact, he felt miserable.

"Hmm, May I order—" Daniel had not finished his words, but someone came and talked to Laura.

"Hi, Lady!" said someone who stood next to Daniel. 

"Frederick?" Laura tried to make sure.

"Yes, I am Frederick Douglass, your college friend," he told Laura his full name.

"Hi, long time no see. How are you doing?" Laura asked. Her eyes sparkled with excitement when she gazed at that man.

"Good. How about yourself?" 

"I am doing well. How did you know if I am here?" Asked Laura curious. She didn't believe if the man who she crushes on when she was in college was there.

"Oh, I knew it from Emma. I met her at a grocery on Sunday. She told me if you open a coffee shop. So, I get here after work. My workplace is near here by the way."

"Oh? Where do you work?" 

"I work at Ex-press warehouse as a manager." 

When Daniel heard that the man who stands next to him was his manager at the warehouse, he suddenly looked at him just to make sure if he was Frederick, his manager at the warehouse.

"Oh, you are here Mr. Frederick?" Daniel talked to his manager.

"Oh, yeah. Hmm, I think I know you. But, I don't know your name." 

"His name is Daniel Rebholz," said Laura spontaneously.

"Daniel Rebholz," he tried to remember that name.

"Oh, you are one of our workers at the warehouse, aren't you?" Frederick finally remembered about the man he was talking to.

"Yes, sir. I am a Courier." 

"Hmm, OK." Do you know him, Laura?" 

"No, I don't know him. He is just our customers." 

"Oh, I see." 

"Oh, yeah, what do you want to order?" Asked Laura to Daniel.

"Hmm, one grande white chocolate mocha." 

"Okay. One grande white chocolate mocha is $ 2. Anything else?" 

"Hmm, no." Daniel gave a short answer and paid for the coffee.

"Sorry for making you wait because of our conversation," Frederick apologized.

"Never mind," said him and then he left Frederick and Laura. 

After getting his coffee, Daniel had a seat. He stared at Laura and Fredrick that still talked to each other. She laughed a lot and looked cheerful when Frederick came and it made Daniel jealous of him. He did want to see them, so he looked at the wall in front of him and enjoyed his coffee.

Frederick reached Daniel and then asked, "May I sit here?" 

"Sure," Daniel replied.

"Thanks," Frederick sat in front of him.

"How many times have you had a coffee at this shop?" Frederick opened the dialog. 

"Hmm, maybe three times. What about yourself?" he asked Frederick back.

"This is my first time." 

"Oh," after that both of them were quiet. Until Daniel asked Frederick if he knows about Laura or not.

"Do you know Laura?"

"Yes, I do know her. We studied at the same college 5 years ago." When he got this answer, Daniel could guess Laura's age. If Laura graduated at 22 years old, she was 27 years old now. 

"Where did you study then?" Daniel tried to get more info about her.

"We studied in Colombia State College." 

"What major did you two take?" 

"I took management and Laura business administration." 

"Both of you took a different major, how could you meet then?" Daniel was curious.

"We met at the library. We both love reading."

"Oh, I see."

From their conversation, Frederick realized if Daniel was interested in Laura. Therefore, he asked him about it, 

"Do you like Laura?" Frederick gazed at Daniel's face. He wanted to know Daniel's expression and also his reaction to his question.

Daniel looked shocked with that question. He just did not believe it. How did he know it? 

"Hmm, no, I don't like her," Daniel tried to hide his real feelings.

"But you cannot lie to me. Your eyes say everything," Frederick straightforwardly told him that he knew his feelings.

Daniel was just silent. He could not hide it anymore to Frederick. Frederick already knew the fact that he likes Laura. Before Frederick asked him another question, Daniel was leaving,

"I think I have to go now. See you later," Daniel stood up from the chair and left Frederick alone.

When Daniel was already outside, he did not understand why that man knew that he likes Laura.

'How did he know about my feelings for Laura?' he talked to himself and wondered.

Frederick could feel that Daniel tried to avoid him. He did not like if Frederick asked him such a question. Frederick knew that his reason to come to that shop was just to meet Laura.

Frederick counted Daniel as his rival to get Laura. He was thinking about something when he drank his coffee and would do his plan as soon as possible. He expected Daniel would be unable to meet Laura anymore. He did not like if Daniel was around them.